Our community will directly benefit from the proposed capital budget being considered in Olympia. In Southwest Washington, this capital investment plan could provide Clark, Cowlitz, Pacific and Wahkiakum counties with up to 4,600 local jobs and more than $369 million in construction activity. Several important water and sewer district improvement projects are included in the plan and represent a long-term shot in the economic arm for southwest Washington.
Two years ago, legislators raided the capital investment plan and construction trust funds to pay for general government services, costing Washington the potential for more than 19,000 jobs. We can’t let that happen again. We need to remind legislators that a dollar spent on capital projects creates more economic activity and jobs than a dollar spent on general government. And, when money is spent on capital items — our utilities, roads, and sidewalks — with low-cost loans such as are available with the Public Works Trust Fund, it is a long-term benefit to the quality of life of our communities, rather than the short-term fix of one-time grants. The capital budget is one of the best investments legislators can make for Southwest Washington.
Vern Veysey
Ridgefield